


Sunset

by FreeShavocadoo



Category: HiGH&LOW (Movies), HiGH&LOW: the Story of S.W.O.R.D. (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, mermaid au, mermaids are NB don't @ me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 06:38:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15989738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreeShavocadoo/pseuds/FreeShavocadoo
Summary: Ryu has been watching from a distance for a while, head poked above water enough for their eyes to survey Ice's movements.Maybe one day, they'll talk to him.((Mermaid AU))





	Sunset

**Author's Note:**

  * For [byakuyakuchiki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/byakuyakuchiki/gifts).



> For a very special person who deserves the cutest NB mermaid troupe there is (:

After sunset was always the best time to rise to the surface of the water, not too high but up enough to see the reflection of the moon starting to bounce across the water. The soft swishing of the tides back and forth combined with the gentle hush of the wind running across the sand was tranquil, only made more so by the quiet humming, only ceasing in intervals before continuing with the occasional voice accompaniment. When the wind picks up ever so slightly, they can hear it, a velvety voice that seems to bounce through several pitches in quick succession, followed by fast verses.

Sometimes, they spent all night with their eyes peeking above the water to watch him, beautiful golden skin and emotive expressions even from a distance, so wrapped up in his singing that it’s like he’s in his own world. They wonder what it would be like, to be in such a world. It must be nice.

 

* * *

 

 

_The group near the shore could only be described as a mismatched one, though all the voices seem to be loud and full of reckless energy without a care for who may hear them. This benefits Ryu, who prefers to float much further down the coast with their ears practically pinned upwards to listen to them. They’d never been the sociable one out of the group and even though they all had certain oddities of their own, Ryu had always preferred to stay to the side lines, not appreciating the way humans would often back away when they’d lay eyes on them, as though they were scary and disturbing. Ryu supposes it would be hard for people not to see them as such, especially in comparison to the others._

_Pearl is like something from a renaissance painting, long golden-blond hair that seems to run silver in some lights. Their tail is entirely gold, a captivating and deep gold that is almost impossible to look away from and it’s like Pearl revels in this, their tail always swishing behind them even when they are for the most part, stationary. Their eyes are a deep brown that always seem to flash gold, especially when they open their mouth to smile with a row of impeccably sharp teeth. Pearl’s human, Bernie, always seems to have his mouth agape when staring at Pearl, as if he’ll never get over the novelty of seeing their bronzed skin and wild mane of hair twirling in the water when they see him. Pearl’s voice is one of the most beautiful things Ryu has ever heard, in their opinion. It’s light and airy, full of optimism and a softness that Ryu rarely finds without the assistance of Pearl’s voice drifting through the salty air._

_Jesse was more siren than mermaid in Ryu’s eyes, covered in ink all over their tanned torso, silver-blond hair more ragged than Pearl’s and dark eyes that seem to have no pupils at all. Their smirk reveals a few sharp teeth, though not all, as if they are aware of how captivating they are because they look so dangerous. Out of them all, Jesse’s songs tend to be few and far between and often seem to make humans in the nearby vicinity become overwhelmed, rushing over to the waters edge as if they are possessed. Surprisingly, the human they are entertaining is large in stature but gentle, his hands that could grasp two of Jesse’s in one of his own often playing rather innocently with Jesse’s hair as they swish around him. Unlike other humans they’ve met, of which there have been few, this one seems to find Jesse’s possessiveness rather endearing, chucking when Jesse’s hissing starts because Pearl corkscrewed too close to, in their words, ‘My Pho’._

_If there were any of their group Ryu could find some similarity with, it would be Nakamon. Their hair is the darkest black, their eyes their most discerning feature with brown irises and black sclera. Their rather harsh appearance is only furthered by jagged scars that seem to appear all over their torso, markings and reminders that not all humans who find their kind in the waters are so gentle of touch. Nakamon sings little, reasoning that their once unmistakable voice is what got them hurt in the first place. Though when the waters are still sometimes their voice hums across the surface, creating a tide that could wash a human away in the blink of an eye. Like Ryu, they often swim outwards from the group, though as of late they place themselves further down the shore where a human that seems to have a frown that rivals Nakamon’s sits with their knees up in the water. Nakamon doesn’t speak much about him to them all, yet their songs seem a little less infrequent and melancholy._

_All of this seems irrelevant when Ryu lands their eyes on Ice, as the others call him. A boy with a smile that makes Ryu’s chest ache and a voice that makes Ryu want to sing, he really is a type of beautiful Ryu is certain only comes around once a century for their kind. He comes often, even going to far as to kick his shoes off and follow with most of his clothes, wading into the water and laughing beautifully as the others circle him. It’s strange, Ryu thinks, to feel the pull towards wanting to speak to him and interact the way the others do, yet still staying exactly where they are. Ryu’s fingers, pale until they reach long nails, their fingertips looking as though they’ve been stained in black, twitch. As though longing to touch smooth skin just to see a smile they’d give up the sea for._

* * *

So caught up in daydreaming, it takes a few seconds for Ryu to acknowledge the sudden silence, now leaving a rather eerie atmosphere in its wake. Their feeling of unease only amplifies when they see a flash of short black hair stream through the water towards an unsuspecting Ice, who’s sitting with his legs out in front of him in the water. They’ve always had impeccable instincts and even more impeccable speed so they dart through the water with ease, swirling to a stop right before the assailant reaches the shore, swinging their tail with such force that the unmistakable slap of the water rebounding from the impact rings in the air. The hissing noises from mermaids fighting is always a bone-chilling one but Ryu is now completely on edge, their black sclera only seeming to make their red eyes glow in the dark as a long and unbridled hiss escapes between sharp teeth. It wouldn’t be the first time Kirinji had attempted to make it to the shore and attack an unsuspecting human and Ryu wishes it would be the last, but ever the sea serpent Kirinji darts away back towards the expanse of sea, leaving only a few timid waves in their wake.

“Wow.”

Ryu’s head turns, their black hair billowing around them, flecks of gold darting through as fine as a thread of silk. On instinct, they let out a light hiss, an after effect from such adrenaline. Ice doesn’t recoil but instead stares with an open mouth, closing it and opening it once more as though he had words to speak that he couldn’t quite get out.

“You must be Ryu,” he whispers, as if his voice is struggling to keep up, “Jesse told me about you.”

“I did not mean to scare you.” Ryu replies, their voice scratchy. The sensation of speaking to humans was always a hard one for them, not used to it the same way the others were. Speaking to other mermaids underwater was the most they did nowadays, and it was only sheer circumstance now that lead them to show themselves. By instinct, they duck their head lower in the water and stare with unblinking red eyes until everything below them is under the water once more.

“Thank you, for helping me,” Ice seems to move further into the water of his own accord, until he’s standing up to his waist in water, “saving me, I mean.”

Ryu nods but doesn’t lift their mouth above the water level, already certain that Ice has seen too much of their bared teeth and clawed black fingertips for his own good. Though the entire experience makes them want to disappear into the depths of the water never to return to the shore again, Ryu can at least appreciate Ice up close for once. His eyes are warm and inviting and they crinkle as he stares at Ryu, as though he hadn’t just seen something that should be terrifying. Ryu pokes their head out of the water and frowns gently, their black and gold tail swishing in circles, confused.

“You’re not scared of me.” They say, more in the form of a statement than a question.

“You were just helping me out, nothin’ to be scared of, right?” Ice smiles, staring at Ryu with honest eyes, “can I… do you mind if I touch your hair?”

Ryu considers the question, pondering. They lean their head towards Ice’s hand and Ice instantly runs his fingers through Ryu’s hair from the top of their head to the ends of their hair, gasping almost inaudibly when he brushes over one of the small golden strands that runs through their hair. A contented, low hiss sounds from Ryu’s mouth before they can stop themselves, but Ice doesn’t seem to mind, winding Ryu’s hair around his finger and letting it go repeatedly.

“You’re _beautiful_.” He says, his fingers brushing momentarily against Ryu’s shoulder where ink runs down the entirety of their back, scripture a human would not understand but could at least appreciate visually, which Ice seems to. “I’ve never seen anyone that looks like you before.”

Usually, the phrase ‘never seen anyone that looks like you before’ especially in relation to Ryu tended to be entirely negative. They didn’t have the classic and carefree beauty of Pearl, not the alluring attraction of Jesse or even the endearing protectiveness and well-suited hard edges of Nakamon. They instead looked more like the runt of the litter, a term that many were fond of throwing towards him outside of their small and select group.

“Why don’t you ever come to the shore when the others do?” Ice’s tone is conversational, his fingers dancing along Ryu’s arm now. Ryu swishes their tail in response, Ice’s eyes tracking the movement with a glazed over expression, like the movement has enchanted him somehow. It makes Ryu feel oddly human, oddly special.

“I prefer to keep to myself. Things are better that way.” Ryu’s voice is still raspy, their tone low but Ice nods understandingly.

“You seem nice.”

Mermaid laughter usually bubbles the water but this time, the water seems to swish dangerously due to how hard Ryu laughs at the statement. Ice sways with the force of the movement in the water, Ryu’s hands darting out to grasp around his waist gently to steady him. Ice grabs onto their shoulders, spluttering a little as the waves subside leaving his entire upper half drenched now as well. He laughs, still holding onto Ryu’s shoulders barely an inch away from them.

“I wasn’t trying to be funny!” He protests between laughter, not moving from his position in Ryu’s arms. He stares, wide-eyed and innocent and it makes Ryu feel oddly vulnerable. But in the best way possible.

“I know.”

 

* * *

 

The others had all insisted that Ryu start joining them every other morning by the shore, as they would usually appear in their small group, yet Ryu still refuses. They instead preferred to wait until they’d all cleared off later on in the day, when Ice would sit on the beach by himself writing, just to talk with him but mostly just to watch him up close. If Ice finds it odd, he doesn’t say so, content to keep to this routine for weeks in which he sits and writes his songs, humming under his breath between holding a mostly one-sided conversation with Ryu. Ryu just savours the contact, the natural way Ice would reach his hand out to run his fingers through Ryu’s hair as he’s speaking, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world to do.

It takes two whole months for Ryu to finally decide to step foot on land and abandon the sea for a few days to be with Ice, at both Jesse’s and Pearl’s insistence. Ryu reminds them of the one obvious problem, that they won’t be able to converse with Ice out of water when they are human, yet Pearl scoffs and shakes their head, telling them that of _course_ they’ve been teaching all of the humans they speak to sign language and that they’d been also learning amongst themselves. Apparently, Bernie is rather muddled when he attempts to, yet Pearl manages regardless, confiding in Ryu that they find it endearing. Still, the prospect makes them nervous. Jesse was rather adept in his human form, saying they enjoyed the freedom of walking on land and the oddities that were so fruitful on land when it came to humans. Jesse even walks Ryu to Ice’s door, saying that if Ryu tries to get out of it, they’ll be furious. Even Sarah had poked her head above water to tell him to go, a scarce seen sight for a mermaid that prefers the deepest and darkest depths of the ocean most of the time.

There Ryu sits in Ice’s apartment, hands folded in their lap, comfortable in an all-black outfit. Their eyes, still red but lacking their black sclera, scan the room. It’s cosy and inviting, cd’s and vinyl’s scattered around with blankets and an excess of cushions. He must have quite a few people around here often, especially if their group is anything to go by. Ice walks out of the kitchen, placing a cup down on the table in front of Ryu with a smile.

 _Everything okay?_ He signs, seating himself beside Ryu. His warmth seems to radiate from him, something Ryu is easy to move towards due to a dropping body temperature when in a human form. They shuffle closer to him, nodding slowly in response to his question.

Sipping the coffee, Ryu sighs gently, savouring the warmth as it passes their lips. The flavour is so rich, especially for a mermaid that rarely sees land, that Ryu finds themselves hissing gently even out of their mermaid form. Ice’s arm drapes over the back of the couch, practically over Ryu’s shoulders and they lean into the touch after putting the cup back down on the table. Perhaps they underestimate how far away Ice is, leaning too far and half dropping to his side, tucked under his arm with their head on his chest now. Ice chuckles gently, petting their hair.

 _Are you cold?_ He asks, his signing rather exaggerated and punctuated clearly by his mouth. Ryu doesn’t think they’ve ever seen anyone sign so emotively before and it’s completely adorable in a way Ryu doesn’t expect, their eyes following his hands carefully.

 _A little._ They reply, Ice nodding and quickly draping one of the blankets over them both, wrapping Ryu in strong arms that may make them swoon a little, allowing themselves to practically be placed onto his lap, muscled arms securely around their tiny waist. Ice grins, eyes crinkled and smile perfect. It’s almost too much for Ryu who buries their head into Ice’s neck, their fingers curled in Ice’s hair at the nape of his neck. To occupy themselves and perhaps out of habit after hearing him hum it so often at the beach, Ryu begins to tap out a beat with their other hand on Ice’s back. Ice seems to catch on quickly, humming along in time with Ryu’s finger tapping, nuzzling his head into Ryu’s neck as he does so. The sensation of Ice’s humming against their neck has Ryu flushing a little, on top of the current seating position which has them facing Ice on his lap, circled in his arms. Ice kisses their shoulder so tenderly that Ryu isn’t sure if they imagined it or not for a moment until Ice moves his head back and grins.

_Asshole._

It seems to take Ice a moment to register what Ryu has signed, as if it isn’t one of the more obvious signs, and he laughs as soon as he realises, shaking his head. He pulls Ryu closer, kissing their cheek and Ryu smiles, a genuine, albeit small, smile.

Perhaps it’s time, Ryu thinks, to just do what they want to do for a change. They pull back once more, and Ice’s eyes lock onto their movements quickly, as though already waiting in anticipation for them to sign something. It makes Ryu feel odd, but in a good way.

_Kiss?_

They sign, not wanting to add a floral sentence to begin it with or anything to buffer it. It’s what they want after all, so why bother adding extra signing? Ice stares, repeating the gesture as if to make sure, Ryu nodding firmly.

It’s everything they expected and more. Their position in Ice’s lap seems perfect, one of Ice’s hands moving up to cup their cheek, the other hand remaining firmly on their lower back. He kisses Ryu as if he’s been waiting to this entire time, coaxing Ryu’s lips open as he kisses with a passion Ryu somehow didn’t expect from him. Ryu’s fingers are laced in Ice’s hair, pulling him closer and biting Ice’s bottom lip when he tried to pull away. Ice relents and kisses Ryu further for a few moments more before pulling back, breathless.

_We still need to breathe._

Ice laughs quietly, still breathless as he signs the words carefully, big gestures as usual. Ryu decides to abandon all pretences and just leaps forward further, hugging Ice close to their own chest this time by kneeling up further in his lap. Ice gasps at the impact but holds Ryu close, steadying them as they kiss the top of his head, stroking his hair. They pull back, slightly teary-eyed and pouty, though their body moves as if they are laughing before they sign something else.

_Speak for yourself._

The rest of the evening is spent watching a film Ryu barely pays attention to, but it’s worth it, just to be in Ice’s arms. He litters kisses all up Ryu’s neck and collarbone, pulling them closer whenever they get cold and kissing them when they start to get demanding and needy. Ryu should probably thank them all for asking them to do this.

 

* * *

 

 

Sitting on the edge of a rickety wooden pier would always bring a certain kind of nostalgia swooping in on Ice, years spent not only sitting on the beach and writing but also watching the sunset, sat on the edge of the pier with his feet in the water letting his mind wander. It was times like these he felt truly weightless, truly free, and it was the best feeling in the world. It was only amplified with the knowledge that his partner, his beautiful red-eyed, black and gold tailed mermaid partner was darting towards him under the water. Their eyes seem luminescent under the sunset, only amplified by the black sclera. The gold in their hair and tail glimmers, making Ice’s eyes dart all over them for what must be the millionth time by now. Then, the best thing in the world happens. They sing.

Ice has heard all of their group sing before. Pearl’s high-pitched voice that seems to instil a sense of hope and optimism, airy and light. Jesse who’s singing tends to be like a magnet, an unmistakable pull and longing being drawn from every bone in the listeners body. Nakamon’s sounds more threatening, a bass-toned song that makes the fish in the water scatter and the small waves increase dramatically. None of them could compare to Ryu, in Ice’s eyes. Their voice is lower, melancholic and enigmatic. For one brief second, one might assume it’s a sad song of longing and sorrow, yet upon further listening would realise that it’s just like having a burden lifted entirely from your chest. It blankets Ice, making him feel safe, comforted and loved all at once. He’s never _not_ cried when he’s heard it and yet again he’s brought to tears, being such a violent shaker when he cries that he has to sign, even though Ryu doesn’t need it but just because Ice’s own voice can’t manage at the moment.

_It’s beautiful._

Ryu smiles, twirling in the water as their tail swishes beneath them, moving upwards to the thankfully low pier to rest their head and arms on Ice’s lap. They drape their hair over their shoulder and stare up at Ice with a sweet smile, grabbing his hand and bringing it to their mouth to kiss his fingers. Then, even though they don’t need to, they lean back and sign with one hand to Ice with a wide grin on their face.

_I love you._


End file.
